Prasanthi News - Final PG Gratitude program

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Prasanthi News - Final PG Gratitude program SairamFinal Year PG students Give their Heart to the Lord....It was another beautiful day here in Prasanthinilayam. The final year Post graduate students were ready with their gratitude program and Swami had given them permission the previous day itself for this. As soon as swami came for darshan He took a round in chair among the students and devotees. After so many days, it was nice to have the Lord amongst us. Then He settled down on the dais and asked the PG boys to commence the program. The program was filled with varieties, speeches, songs, skits, dance, etc. Swami was listening and seeing

all with keen interest. The students portrayed their feelings, their love, their gratitude and their belonging to the Lord. A scene from Sankaracharya's life, a dance and the display of pot-breaking ceremony (the one that is usually done in hostel on krishnashtami) was excellently depicted. As they finished showing the pot-breaking ceremony, one boy told swami, "as the gopalas gave their shoulders to Lord Krishna, we your students give ourselves to your feet". Then the students came with a very jovial skit. The skit was introduced in the following way: One student got up and told "Swami, every time we do anything, be it grama seva, sports meet, etc, we do it because we want a smile from your face. Similarly, what ever you do, you ensure

that you see a smile on our face. Today we want to put a skit in front of you so that we can make you smile". After this intro, the skit began. It was a story made up by the students here, in which the gods in the heavens have lost their smile. Reason, it seems many things are missing there. People are missing! Mother Lakshmi sent a complaint to Brahma that brother moon is missing. Agni deva is missing. The yama vahana is missing, the army is missing, and these are being discussed in the heavens. Brahma, narada, yama, and vayu deva are wondering about this. Then narada tells that it is because one mayavi has taken over the world and he is creating havoc. Solution? Narada says, only prayer, prayer to Lord vishnu. The skit was in telugu and i am finding it

very difficult to translate but this is kind of an essence. But beautiful dialogues studded with poetry was the highlight of the skit. So, all these people start praying and Vishnu appears. He tells, "oh foolish people, it is not that some mayavi has taken away the wealth of the world. You all please note that all attributes have come together as an avatar, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the agni being his robe, the moon being his face, etc.. " The description of Swami's beauty and the attributes in telugu connecting the various elements was very good. It was really a very jovial skit, but the point was driven home very clearly and beautifully. Swami was laughing and enjoying it. Towards the end of the program, two boys came and requested swami to light a candle. Then with that lit candle, every single student lit their candles and it was a wonderful

sight to see. The climax was the banner that opened up praying that Swami should come to hostel. It was a good show and as all boys shouted that Swami should come to hostel, Swami did tell "I will come". Swami posed for group photographs with every class students. Program ended with Bhajans and aarathi. " Heart to Heart.... Love to Love....." R G Mailed on 18.03.07 by K. M Divine Manifestation of the Sarva Dharma Symbol One afternoon The Late Sri N.Kasturi and Sri Indulal Shah were doing Pada Seva of Bhagawan in a room on the first floor of Prasanthi Mandir. They noticed Bhagawan was drawing a sketch on a piece of paper. After some time, He handed over that piece of paper to Sri Kasturi. To their surprise, they saw the symbols of five religions drawn in a circle while in the center there was the back portion of Bhagawan's own head mostly depicting its matchless hair.Sri Kasturi asked, "Swami, why the back of the face and not the front?" Baba explained, "So that you may not keep the paper in the safe and do nothing about it!" Bhagawan then clarified the point. "This will be the symbol of the Sai Organisation-five religions in the circle with the symbol of Prashanti viz, the Lotus in the centre." This was the birth of the Sarva Dharma symbol, which we all adore in every Bhajan Center, display at every function and exhibit whenever we intend to carry the Sai message.Source: Diary 2004 - Religion of Love Mailed by K. M on 18.03.2007 Courtesy: http://www.ssso.net/pnews/pnews-mar07.htm